Austrian 100 Corona Gold Coin

Austrian 100 Corona Quick Facts

90% fine gold (21.6 kt)

Backdated restrikes

.9802 oz.

No longer minted

The Austrian 100 Corona introduced America to bullion coin investment

The Austrian 100 Corona, or simply “Corona,” was one of only a few gold bullion investment coins available to Americans when the government first lifted the ban on private possession. So, for a brief period, they were immensely popular.

The portrait on the obverse of the Corona is that of Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I, who reigned between 1848 and 1916. His motto “Viribus Unitis,” with united forces, is inscribed on the reverse, accompanied by the Austrian coat of arms, a double eagle with crown.

A unique feature of Coronas is that they are all restrikes with a single date — 1915. These coins are relatively common in Europe but are sometimes sold as rarities to unsuspecting customers by U.S. dealers. Coronas have one of the lowest purity levels of currently available coins and prices for Coronas can be hard to verify, and for these reasons many investors avoid Coronas. Although premiums for Coronas should be low, thousands of investors each year pay too much for these coins due to a lack of knowledge about the gold bullion market.